TMZ Sports - Page 50

Bradley Beal is finally opening up about the confrontation he had with a fan that's landed him in the crosshairs of a police investigation ... saying he believes the heckles over gambling bets have stepped over the line for him.

The NBA star didn't get into too many specifics about the March 21 altercation ... but he did speak generally about the incident during his season-ending interview with media members in Washington on Monday afternoon.

You'll recall, cops began investigating Beal after a fan inside a tunnel at the Amway Center in Orlando ripped the shooting guard over a lost wager following the Wizards' 122-112 loss to the Magic.

"You f***ed me [out of] $1,300," the fan screamed, "you f***!"

Beal then turned to the man and the rest of his group -- and knocked a hat off one of the guys' heads in response. The man later told police Beal had struck him in the head when he swatted the cap. Cops took a report for battery and began investigating.

Beal said Monday that while he understands the frustration of losing money -- he told reporters, "I go to casinos" -- he added that he doesn't want to be chirped over it all.

"I gamble, I understand that," he said. "But, I also understand it's probably a 99 percent chance I'm going to lose."

"I'm not sitting here about to get angry at the dealer or angry at everybody else."

Beal also said, "Nobody wants to lose money. I get it. If you keep it about sports, I'm all for it. But, I think it's when people start getting personal, talking about your family, talking about your character, your integrity towards the game. I think all of that, we can save it. We can really keep those comments to ourselves."

The Louisville shooter suffered multiple concussions in his youth as a star athlete -- and he continued his athletic career ... doing so by wearing a helmet in games.

25-year-old Connor Sturgeon -- who has since been ID'd as the one who shot and killed 5 people Monday in a bank -- had a history of serious injuries that he suffered while playing football ... this according to one of his ex-classmates, who talked to Daily Beast.

The former peer says Sturgeon was out of football for most of the year during 8th grade due to multiple concussions ... adding, "Then he had a couple more in high school. I’m not saying it’s the cause but I always think back to that. There were times I’d wonder, will this catch up with him? But never in this way. He’s the last person I'd expect would do this."

As a result of the concussions he suffered ... Sturgeon went on to wear protective headgear during sports he'd compete in during high school. By most accounts, he was a star -- playing on the Varsity basketball team and even running track. He was also supposedly popular.

There's an essay, unearthed from his college days as well in which he says he dealt with low self-esteem throughout his life and had hopes of bettering himself as he aged. Sturgeon wrote, "Making friends has never been especially easy, so I have more experience than most in operating alone." He also said he continues to "battle against myself."

Sturgeon worked at the bank. He's reported to have used a rifle to open fire on a crowd of people inside, which included police officers too. Sturgeon was ultimately shot and killed.

A celeb jeweler who's become famous for providing diamond pieces to high-profile athletes like Floyd Mayweather is suing Antonio Brown ... claiming the ex-NFL star owes him over $1 million.

Shuki International spelled out the allegations against the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver in a new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles this week ... claiming he gave Brown several pieces of jewelry back in 2022, under the promise that AB would pay him $1,095,000 for it all.

The problem ... according to the suit, obtained by TMZ Sports, Brown never paid up.

Among the items that Shuki said he gave Brown included Shuki's famous "Shuki International" diamond fingers -- which the jeweler said cost $500K apiece.

Shuki also said he hooked Brown up with a rose gold black diamond version of the finger piece, a white gold chain, and a ring.

According to the suit, Brown got at least some of the items on Feb. 24, 2022 ... and agreed to pay the nearly $1.1 million price tag for it all by Dec. 1, 2022.

Shuki's attorney, Steven H. Stone, tells us the jeweler is expected to address the claims publicly later this week.

What's interesting ... we actually got Shuki out in L.A. days after he said he gave one of the fingers to Brown in March '22 -- and he seemed pleased with how AB was handling it all. What's even more interesting, Brown -- who's become a rapper following his NFL days -- has a song titled "Shuki Diamonds" ... a track he put out last year to pay homage to the celeb jeweler.

In fact, the two have actually hit the stage in the past year to perform the song together.

Matt Hardy is optimistic his brother, Jeff, will return to AEW sometime soon ... saying the wrestling star is doing well and taking care of himself during his time away from the squared-circle.

Matt gave an update on Jeff -- who resurfaced last week in a pic with a fan in North Carolina -- during a chat with fellow AEW wrestler Isiah Kassidy ... where he confirmed his bro is recovering from a recent eye surgery.

"His eyes were just a little off-set, probably from wear and tear and beating his body up," Matt said. "They had to work on some ligaments and tendons in one of his eyes."

"So they corrected that [with] surgery, and they said probably in five, six weeks, he should be okay."

As we previously reported, Jeff found himself in some trouble outside the ring lately -- he submitted a written no contest plea in his DUI case in February ... and was given a 38-day credit for jail time he already served.

AEW suspended Jeff following his DUI arrest last June ... but Matt believes Jeff's hard work outside the ring is positioning him to return to action in the coming months.

Kayvon Thibodeaux just made the biggest highlight play of the offseason -- he just bought his mom a new house ... and her reaction is priceless!!

The 2022 first-round pick to the New York Giants posted a video to his YouTube channel on Monday ... showing off the new crib he gifted his mom. In the clip, Thibodeaux explained why the purchase meant so much to him.

"When I was in high school, I had to live with another family," Thibodeaux said in the video. "After that, I went to college ... Five years of my life I never had dinner with my mom. We never sat at a table with my family, we never had a place for all the family to get together for Christmas and for holidays when the time came. Now being able to provide that is a blessing."

The pad comes with all the works -- the backyard is decked out with a basketball court, a pool with a waterfall and a nice view of the hills of California.

As you would expect … Thibodeaux's mom, Shawnta Loice, is quite emotional during the reveal, commenting on how nice her new place is and saying what a blessing the past few years have been.

Thibodeaux took to Twitter as well … thanking the Giants for believing in him to make this opportunity possible.

"It started with a dream, turned it into a goal," he said. "Love you Mom, you deserve the world!  #assetsoverliabilities  Thank you @Giants for believing in me!"

NASCAR driver Cody Ware was arrested on Monday ... following allegations he assaulted a female.

According to police records, the 27-year-old was booked into jail in Iredell County, N.C. at 7:38 AM on charges of assault by strangulation -- inflicting serious injury, and assault on a female.

The records show as of Monday afternoon, he was still in custody.

Specifics regarding the allegations against Ware have not yet been revealed ... though police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show the alleged incident initially happened on April 3 at a home in Mooresville, N.C.

NASCAR suspended the Cup Series driver indefinitely following his arrest.

Ware did not race in Sunday's NASCAR Cup event at Bristol Motor Speedway ... with Rick Ware Racing announcing earlier in the weekend that Cody would sit out while dealing with "a personal matter."

Cody began racing in the Cup Series in 2017. His best career finish came last season, when he came in sixth place at Daytona International Speedway.

Cole Pensick -- a former offensive lineman for the Nebraska Huskers -- died in an early morning car accident in Nebraska on Saturday ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was 32.

Nebraska football commented on the tragic news ... "Mourning the loss of one of our own. On behalf of the Nebraska Football program, our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends & teammates of former Husker lineman Cole Pensick."

The Polk County Sherriff's Office tells us they responded to a call at 6:42 AM after receiving a report for a pickup truck that was off the roadway and in between trees.

Once they arrived, cops found Pensick, who had been driving a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, deceased at the scene. Police say he was involved in a single-vehicle accident after failing to stop at a stop sign, and leaving the road.

Law enforcement tells us Cole was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, but added they're still investigating the accident.

Pensick was a standout at Nebraska ... he played in 13 games his senior year (starting 12) and was selected to the All-Big Ten second team by coaches around the league in 2013.

Roger Clemens' 34-year-old son, Kory, has been arrested again for DWI, TMZ Sports has learned ... and the allegations against the MLB legend's kid are scary.

According to court documents, Kory was busted by the Houston Police Dept. in Texas at 2:22 AM on April 7 following a car accident.

In the docs, prosecutors allege Clemens struck another vehicle, which caused "heavy" front-end damage. They also say Kory was throwing up at the scene and was "unsteady on his feet." They added in the documents that he reeked of booze, had bloodshot eyes and slurred his speech ... and stumbled when he walked.

Court documents show he was booked into a Harris County jail ... before he was released after posting bond.

It's the second time in the last four years that Kory has been accused of DWI -- back in May 2019, he was also arrested in Houston after cops said he showed signs of intoxication during a traffic stop at 2:05 AM. The case was ultimately dismissed in 2020 after he entered into a pretrial diversion program.

Kory is one of four of Clemens' sons, who all have names starting with the letter "K" ... as a nod to the former Houston Astros pitcher's propensity to rack up strikeouts while on the mound.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without their star center when they face off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA's play-in tournament game on Tuesday ... 'cause the team just suspended Rudy Gobert one game for punching his teammate.

Gobert -- who swung at Kyle Anderson during a timeout in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans -- will rejoin his teammates for the remainder of the Wolves' play-in tournament run and beyond.

It's a big blow to Minnesota -- the Wolves gave up four first-round picks for the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 ... and will be tasked with trying to upset a hot Lakers team that has seemingly figured things out just in time for the postseason.

Gobert was sent home from Sunday's game ... and apologized for his actions shortly after.

"Emotions got the best of me today," Gobert said. "I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organization and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate."

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Wolves believe Gobert's punch was not intended to hurt his teammate ... but considering he struck Anderson in the chest, they were left with no other choice.

The report also says the whole thing started after Anderson called Gobert a "bitch" repeatedly.

The widow of Dwayne Haskins is claiming the ex-NFL star was drugged in the hours before his death ... alleging the former Steelers and Commanders quarterback was the target of a blackmail and robbery plot.

Kalabrya Haskins spelled out the allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, that was filed in Florida fewer than three weeks before the one-year anniversary of the former football player's tragic death.

In the documents, Kalabrya claims that on April 8 and the early morning hours of April 9, 2022, Dwayne visited four establishments in the Miami area ... and was drugged by a group of people planning to blackmail and rob him.

Kalabrya says Joey Smith, Meriem Yassine, Wissal Yassine and Karlee Peyton drugged the 26-year-old old at some point while he spent time at the Wyndham Hotel, a Drive Shack, a restaurant called the Blue Anchor Pub, and E11EVEN nightclub.

According to a statement released by Kalabrya's attorney, Rick Ellsley, on Monday morning, Ellsley alleges that Dwayne's "highly-expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death" ... although he doesn't specify who he thinks took it.

Kalabrya is suing the four for battery ... while also going after the four establishments for negligence, claiming they allowed "patrons to use drugs and to drug other patrons, including [Dwayne]."

As we reported, Dwayne died on April 9, 2022 ... after authorities say he was struck by a dump truck on a Florida highway. According to a Broward County Medical Examiner's Office investigation report, Dwayne had been on foot on the roadway after his rental car had ran out of gas.

Authorities said in the docs the QB "drank heavily" and ingested ketamine in the hours leading up to his passing. They said he had a blood alcohol level of .24 at the time of the accident.

Kalabrya is also going after several other people in her suit ... among them, the dump truck driver who hit Dwayne, the rental car company that Dwayne obtained his vehicle from, and the Florida Department of Transportation -- alleging they all share some blame for the quarterback's untimely death.

Logan Paul's wrestling career is just getting started -- the Maverick has officially signed a new contract with WWE ... just days after his stunning WrestleMania performance.

The 28-year-old initially signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion in June 2022 ... and after incredible outings at WrestleMania, Crown Jewel and Royal Rumble, the move was a no-brainer.

Logan shared the news on social media minutes ago ... holding his contract and snapping a pic with WWE chief content officer Triple H, who posed with his signature "point."

"A proven Superstar on the biggest stage," Triple H said on Monday. "Can't wait to see what's next for @LoganPaul"

The Internet superstar's match against Seth "Freakin'" Rollins was one of the biggest highlights of WM39 at SoFi Stadium ... but despite a surprise appearance from his Prime business partner, KSI, he wasn't able to leave with his hand raised.

Logan has won the entire wrestling community over ... with some of the biggest names in the sport applauding his ability to show off his athleticism in the squared circle.

Odell Beckham Jr. and Lamar Jackson are already connecting off the field ... the two NFL superstars hit up LIV nightclub in Miami Beach after OBJ signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Ravens.

OBJ and LJ were seen on video in the famed MIA nightclub ... partying it up as music played in the background, and they were greeted with a sign that read, "Welcome Lamar & OBJ."

Odell was visibly into the moment, enjoying himself after inking the one-year, $15 million deal (which could reportedly go up to $18 million).

The more pressing question is ... how does Lamar feel?

Remember, the 2019 NFL MVP revealed he asked for a trade earlier this month after failing to reach a lucrative, long-term deal with the Ravens.

You've got to imagine Jackson loves the idea of bringing in a top-tier wideout like Odell ... and judging by the fact they're partying together on night 1, it appears that's the case.

Before hitting LIV, OBJ, wearing a Ravens hat, announced the news on social media ... dressing his son, Zydn, in Jackson's No.8 Ravens jersey, with the word "Flock" as the caption.

Jackson publicly congratulated Beckham on signing with the Ravens ... posting a photo on IG of the two on what appears to be a FaceTime call with the caption, #TRUZZ.

Ravens fans have already started daydreaming about what an LJ-OBJ connection could look like on the field ... assuming Jackson's changed his mind on wanting out of Baltimore.

Blueface will be back in a boxing ring in less than two weeks ... the rapper just agreed to fight TikToker Ed Matthews, who called Blueface out in an antagonizing video last month.

The fight will go down on April 22 at OVO Arena in England ... and the trash talk between the guys has already begun.

Just two weeks ago, Matthews appeared to poke fun at Blueface for his up-and-down relationship with Chrisean Rock in a TikTok that garnered nearly two million views.

The "Thotiana" rapper, meanwhile, posted a video of his own jabbing at Matthews over the weekend ... claiming he has no idea who the British social media star is.

The fight -- which will be on the same Kingpyn card that features the highly anticipated rematch between Anesongib and Austin McBroom -- will be the first for Blueface since July 2021, when he dominated a TikToker and then beat up a fan afterward.

The 26-year-old had been slated to fight former L.A. Laker Nick Young last year, but the tilt was canceled jays days before it was set to go down after he failed to secure a boxing license in time.

As for Matthews, he's no stranger to celeb fights -- he made quick work of social media star Simple Simon in a boxing match last year.

Rob Gronkowski will NEVER play another down in the NFL ... at least, that's what the future Hall of Famer is now saying -- telling TMZ Sports this week there's "no chance" he comes back.

The 33-year-old hung up his spikes in June 2022 ... but many thought he could eventually make a return -- considering he had already retired and unretired once before in his career.

But, after sitting out the entire 2022 season -- and, after his good buddy, Tom Brady, called it quits this offseason -- Gronk told Michael Babcock and Mojo Muhtadi he's officially done.

"There's no chance anymore," the former Buccaneers and Patriots tight end said of a possible comeback. "I'm happily retired."

Gronk, though, says he's still using his athleticism ... telling the guys he's actually picked up pickleball in retirement -- and, according to him, he's good at it!!

"I beat my brother, Chris, who plays with pros, and my other brother, Gordon, who plays with pros too!" he said. "And I beat 'em with an average Joe -- my other brother, Glenn G., was my partner!"

"So," he added, "I'm happily retired. I'm still competing, I'm still winning, so I don't even need to go back to football."

Gronk is also spending time at his alma mater, the Univ. of Arizona, where he's slated to be a team captain for the Wildcats' spring football game on April 15.

Gronk will face off with his bro, Chris, who will also be manning the team opposite of Rob's.

Tristan Thompson is signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, which means he'll be reteaming with LeBron -- but, also, he'll be much closer to Khloe Kardashian ... and that's significant.

The team made it official amid reports that TT had signed with them, taking to social media to announce he was, in fact, a Laker now as they head into the playoffs. Thompson will add depth and experience to their bench.

It sounds like he could get some playing time, too ... considering he's a vet and his history with LBJ in the playoffs, not to mention a good amount of current Lakers players are plagued with injuries. Point guard Shaq Harrison is also signing with LAL.

This is great news for Laker Nation, as their chances at a playoff run seemed slim just a few short weeks ago. Now, however, they have an actual shot ... assuming they can get through the play-in tournament -- which starts this week. Lakers will play the Timberwolves.

Of course, Tristan now being a Laker could be seen as good news for someone else ... and that'd be his baby mama, Khloe -- who'll probably see him a lot more heading into summer.

The dude's already here in L.A. a helluva lot as it stands -- remember, he and KK share 2 children together ... and they have been hanging quite a bit these past several months as they continue to co-parent. They were even at McDonald's in the same ride this past week.

Considering all the other signs of what sure looks to be a romantic rekindling ... something tells us Khloe might be pretty thrilled about Tristan's transfer to the west coast too.

At the very least, it'll make their jobs as mom and dad easier. Congrats!

Rudy Gobert hit the showers early on Sunday ... the Timberwolves big man was sent home after throwing a punch at his teammate, Kyle Anderson, during Minnesota's game against the Pelicans.

Gobert threw the punch during a time-out late in the second quarter when the Wolves were down by 12. Minnesota officials announced after haltime Gobert would miss the remainder of the game against the Pelicans following the heated exchange.

Gobert and Anderson had been jawing back and forth at each other during a team huddle ... when Rudy stepped toward Kyle and punched him in the chest.

Anderson went after Gobert after the punch was thrown ... but his teammates held him back before the situation escalated.

It's unclear if Gobert will face any discipline ... but if the T-wolves or the NBA decide to reprimand the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, it could have huge implications for them in the play-in tournament.